ASHLAND —
No more mister nice guy.
Ashland Community and Technical College will start enforcing its no-tobacco policy Wednesday.
When it adopted the policy last year, the college adopted a “soft start,” asking people not to use tobacco on campus but not exacting any penalties for non-compliance.
There will be penalties this year.
The first-year approach used “tobacco-free ambassadors,” said dean of student affairs Willie McCullough. The ambassadors were about 45 faculty and staff members who, if they saw anyone using tobacco, would inform the violator of the policy and ask for compliance.
“We’ve been gentle for a year. Now we will enforce the policy,” McCullough said.
For students there will be a progression of penalties. The first and second offenses will garner warnings and $5 fines. Offenders caught a third time will have to report to McCullough’s office and will face possible written reprimands and suspensions.
Faculty and staff violations will be handled through the same personnel system as other infractions of college policy, with similar penalties, McCullough said.
Visitors to campus will be warned and after three warnings will be asked to leave the campus.
The target is habitual violators, she said. “We’re looking for compliance out of respect for others.”
Enforcement will be a job for campus security officers. The ambassadors, who are all volunteers and were trained for the task, also will continue to do their job.
Few problems are expected. The ambassadors were kept busy when the policy was first enacted last year and students were testing it, but violations have dwindled since then. Students have been largely compliant, McCullough said.
The no-tobacco policy, which includes all ACTC campuses and property, is becoming more common at colleges and universities. ACTC was the first of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System’s colleges to adopt a no-tobacco policy and others are following suit this fall.
Morehead State University and the University of Kentucky also have no-tobacco policies.
ACTC’s policy prohibits use of all tobacco products, including smoking and chewing tobacco, on all college properties, both inside and outside.
That includes use of tobacco in cars in parking lots.
MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2652.
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